Sock supporter



Sept. 13, 1932 O S 1,877,108

SQCK SUPPORTER Filed June 15, 1951 ozearzanljfwlm Patented Sept. 13, 1932 amas LEONARDWOODS, or sr.r.o Is,-MIsso nI soox surron'nnn Application filed June 13,

1931. ser al No. 544,205.

This invention relates to certain new and the anklejoint which serves as'a fixed founuseful improvements in sock supporters, the. peculiarities of which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 7

The main objects of my invention are first, to provide one or more vertically disposed strips forming stays, props or braces adapted to be fixed to the ankle of the wearer at their lower end and to the topof a sock at their up per end, so as to support a sock in tensioned position on the leg of the wearer; second, to make such a stay with an anklet portion so it may be stamped out of bendable sheet material in one piece and shaped to the leg; third, to make the anklet portion adjustable to fit different sizes of ankle; fourth, to provide such a stay with wear resistent material to prevent chafing the wearers leg; and fifth, to support both sides of the sock from the ankle.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts,

Fig. 1 represents my anklet sock supporter 'pplied inside a sock indicated by broken lines;

Fi 2, a plan view of the anklet portion on the section line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8, a detail of the same as stamped out of sheet metal;

Fig. i, an enlarged detail face View of the upper end of a stay; and

Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 4:.

My present form of sock supporter provides a vertically disposed strip at one or both sides of the sock, and preferably located in the hollow between the ankle bone and Achilles tendon, and detachably secured at its upper end to the top of a sock While its lower end is carried by resilient fastening means secured directly to the front and sides of the wearers leg above the ankle joint but not embracing the rear tendon, which is thus entirely free from any constricting band encircling the leg. By my construction therefore, the reaction of the tensioned sock engaged by the upper end of my stay, is carried directly by a resilient anklet applied to the leg of the wearer near end of said bent-down dation for the bottom end of the-stay.

Referring to the'drawing, the numeral 6 designates a. flat thin strip of isheet metal such as steel or aluminum, the upperend of which is provided with fastening means pref-. erably consisting of a spring clip formed by bending over downward the upper end? so-that'itslower end is closely; adjacent' to the stripvbelow the to'p, and will detachably engage the top of an interposed sock. The

"portion is preferably provided with a ball 8, and the strip opposite the ball has a hole or depression 9into whichthe ballwill press the interposed sockand hold it by the spring clip. Other fastens ing means may be providedf The bottom end of this tically disposed stay, is connected tofasteningmeans embracing the ankle of the wearers leg preferably at the narrow portion just above the ankle joint indicated at 10 in Fig. 1. This fastening meanspreferably consists ofa horizontal strip of metal or other suitable material 11 circumferentially embracing thcfront and sides but not the back of the wearers-ankle like an anklet and .is open at thefr'ear so as to avoid any constriction on the heel tendon, and thus forming a rigid support for the bottom of the stay. Thisanklet portionis adjustable to the size of the ankle by? the resiliency of them'etal and is prevented from slipping downward both by the enlargement of the ankle joint and by fricleg.

upon the skin of the'wearers leg, I preferably'fprovide a fabric covering 12 more or less enclosing the stay and anklet portion as indicated. The clip 7 may be covered with Chamois 12. j 1 v When one stay is used on the anklet portion, such: is preferably located on the inside of the leg as stated above, and when another stay is used as 6, Figs. 1 and 3, the latter is disposed on the outside of the wearers leg and in the hollow on the outside of the leg adjacent to the Achilles tendon as indi strip forming a ver To prevent abrasion {of the bare metal cated in Figs. 1 and 2. The anklet portion does not encircle said tendon.

Fig. 3 represents my sock supporter with. two stays and integral anklet portion in flat spread-out position as it would be when stamped or otherwise formed from sheet metal, before the anklet portion is bent to form the loop embracing the front and sides" of the wearers leg. The natural resiliency of the metal causes the anklet to frictionally engage the leg after springing ope-n to ap'ply it thereon.

With my present form of sock supporter,

the sock is tensioned in an upward direction only, since the upper end of the-stay or stays is engaged to the top of the sockonly, and the bottom endof thestay has a sup port'or foundation independent 'of the sock itself. When two stays are used as-above described, the tension of the engaged fasten-' ingmeans at the top of each'stay'is exerted] on each side and around the heel of the sock so'that the sockl-iasno-tendency to sag' or makeany fullness at any point,-but--is he-ldin smooth tensioned position upon t-he wean VVhileI have described iny anklet sock supporterasapplied to short hose desig nated usually asa sock, I may use the same for longer hose' by" lengthening the stays above de'cribed.

By this base afforded by'the leg above th'e ankle, and independent of the sock, my ankle't sock supporter is applicable-t0 all socks;-old* and new, withoutany addition to the soeksthemselves. I claim 1. A sock supporter comprisinga horizontal resilient sheet metal strip and two" strips integralitherewith and rigidlyn'disposed upward and adapted at their upper ends to engage-and support the topof a sock, the horizontal strip being formed toengage" thefront' and sides only of the wearers ankle after beingsprung open'to applyit thereon,-

subsitantially as described.

2. A sock supporter comprlsing a; resilient, horizontally curved metal strip, open and unconnected at its, rear ends and forming-aw spring anklet adapted to embrace the ankle of the wea re'r except the heel tendon di-sposed betweensaid open unconnected rear ends, and rigidly Vertically upstanding stay means integrally connected to said anklet and adapted ftdengage the topof a sock and supplortit from said anklet, substantially as described! In testimony whereof I have affiitedmy signature. 1

, ,LEONARD'VVOODS. 

